Where Does the Time Go?

Once again the time just escapes us, working these 12 hour shifts for the 30+ days, November is just about over. The weather has been either wet or freezing temperatures which is making our bones a bit more achy. We love all the people we are meeting, we met a couple who are full-time wannabes, we had a great chat with them. Others we meet are really interested in our lifestyle and want to hear about all of our stories, we pass out our cards for them to come and visit our life.




They seem to be mostly curious about, how hard it was to give up all the STUFF? At least for us, we are truly simplifying, we do not need all the bells and whistles on our rig, we don’t use a tow vehicle and it is not a big rig. Quite honestly, we do not miss any of it at all, until like the other day when we went over to visit one of our other lots and went inside their huge Class A. Having room to invite guests in without being crammed into our rig is really nice but do we need the added expenses that come with it? NO! So, we will continue to find new ways of simplifying our lives and turning as green as possible. One of the reasons we have an inviting outdoor area, so friends can come by and sit awhile.




We have been experimenting with different cameras, we continue to buy new ones, only to send them back because they are not what we want. A few years back we bought a Sony A200 and we love it so we decided instead of buying all these other cameras, we would invest in our Sony A200. Went online to Amazon and went crazy with new lenses, filters and other gadgets to get a different view. Took the time today to play a little with some of our new gadgets. We have more gadgets on the way, so stay tuned.

A Thankful Thanksgiving

We are so very grateful for so many things this year…


We are grateful for our health, even with a few minor aches and pains, we are still moving and able to live our lives as we have always dreamed we could.


We are grateful for our friends, and that includes our cyber friends. It is so nice to meet individuals that are so like minded as us and for sharing all of their wonderful moments via their own blogs.

We are grateful that we have our home on wheels with warmth when it’s cold and the cooling when it’s hot.

We are grateful for the clothes we have to wear, the food we are so blessed to eat and for all the goodies we are able to enjoy.


We are grateful for all the times we are able to travel this wonderful country of ours, and for all those times when we have to settle in for a bit so we can enjoy new meetings and new adventures.


We are grateful for all the work that comes our way, to make it possible for us to continue living this wonderful lifestyle.

These are things we are always grateful for and include in our everyday prayers. But, on Thanksgiving we feel it appropriate to be able to share it with everyone.


Many of you have noticed that we are updating our blog from our coastal drive but what you may not know is we are doing it while at the Christmas tree lot. We were unable to do it while we were in travel because once we got behind, there was no catching up. We took the time and wrote the stories, but for us it’s not just the words, it is also the photos and those take so much time for us to download, fix or change, to name and then to file in our very organized manner. There are times it is hard to get out of our own way and just do something, so we must confess that our coastal drive is complete and we are currently working the Christmas Tree lot but we will continue to update our blog with our coastal drive and date it accordingly.


Thanks again for taking the time to read our blog, it is such a joy to read all of your blogs and all of your comments.

Finally Lots of Freebies at the Casino

We began our descent south on 101 with a better weather forecasted within a few days, so we decided to drive this part of the journey at a slower pace. We chose to stay 2 nights at Logan Road RV Park so we could check out all the freebies the Chinook Winds Casinowas giving away, we were not disappointed. Read our separate blogs on both of these places and our review at RV Parking.


Also, do not miss all the photos we have downloaded to our Picasa Web Albums.


It’s still been raining and the fog is quite heavy most of the time, but we are making the most of it and trying to change plans according to the weather, we really do want to see more of the beautiful coastal parts that I have only seen in others photos, we want to make our own beautiful photos. The weather is promising for the rest of our drive.

Chinook Winds Casino

1777 NW 44th Street
Lincoln City, OR 97367
(888) 244-6665

We arrived at a most opportune moment. Just to sign up for their players card, we were given $10 each play money, a free buffet each, a coupon book which include all sorts of play giveaways, including ½ off another buffet. This was perfect since we had planned to stay 2 nights.

The food at Siletz Bay Buffet was good, we had dinner one day and lunch the next and each had a wide variety of food. They do have themed days, so check out which would be your favorite and enjoy.

We played the slots, they were fun but for the first time ever at a casino, we played Bingo. We had played Bingo many other times but never at a casino, no big jackpot wins but we had a blast.

The view was awesome, being situated right on the ocean was just another nice perk. We highly recommend a visit to this place, especially during the times they are offering all these perks. It is a well maintained and everyone we came in contact with, went over and beyond the normal customer service.

Reached Our Northern Destination

Our goal was to go up the coast until we crossed Oregon and Washington state lines and spent at least one night in both. It has been accomplished.



We reached the border of Washington on Highway 101 by crossing a fabulous bridge in Astoria, Oregon. Then drove as far as Long Beach, Washington.



Our intention was to stay at another RV park but once arriving we located Oceanic RV Park, located right in the middle of town. They do not have a website and during season we are not sure if we would want to stay in this very small park, but for what we needed at this time, it was perfect. For the entire review, check out our separate blog and our entry at RV Parking.


The weather was holding out, even though it was cloudy and wet, we had a plan to check out the town, which we did. It is a quant little town with a lot of character, even during the non-seasonal time as it was on our visit. We had a great meal at Castaway's Seafood Grille, check out our entire review on the separate entry on our blog. We went to all the shops in search of our pins and magnets, Jerry was in rare form and we had a few laughs.


We went down to the World’s Longest Beach and checked out the boardwalk and the possibility of driving along the beach since it was allowed, but it was way too mushy so we chose not to put Maggie in the sand this time.



We stopped for ice cream and then found Funland, an arcade fun house where we bought tokens and had so much fun playing games, collecting tickets for goodies. We were able to purchase a pair of diamond earrings and a Kit Kat candy bar, all for $20 worth of game tokens…what a deal!


Check out all of our photos at our Picasa Web Albums.

Oceanic RV Park

504 Pacific Avenue S
Pacific Highway
Long Beach, Washington
360-642-3836


Upon our arrival, we were not greeted by anyone. There were other rigs in a few of the sites that looked as if they were long term residents but nobody around to advise us of where to park. The site situation was a bit confusing. Every site we put ourselves, we hung out everywhere and we are under 30’ long, can’t imagine being any longer and still fitting in there. We finally chose what we thought was a spot and hooked up. Still nobody around so we left a note on our windshield, explaining that we would be staying one night, were out sight seeing and would return later to settle up.


When we returned, we were met by a nice young woman and advised us we were in a good spot and it would be $25 for a FHU. They do not accept any discount cards, they do not have a website, they did have a restroom and shower that was tiny but clean, but we did not use them. If you are only passing through as we were and your main goal is to visit the town, then yes we would recommend this place and only if you are not a huge rig.

Pet Policy - We did not see any policies about anything, so we are totally unaware if pets are even allowed.

Castaway's Seafood Grille

208 Pacific Avenue
Long Beach, Washington 98631
(360) 642-4745


We love seafood and our plan was to eat as much of it as possible while on this adventure. This place looked funky, fun and had reasonable prices so after just visiting a few stores looking for souvenirs, we stopped to eat. What a great choice we made.


Looking at the menu, we wanted a taste of everything but we ordered Smoothies, Battered Fried Prawns, Bacon Wrapped Sea Scallops and a cup of the soup of the day which was a Cheesy Broccoli with a twist. We were not disappointed, the food was really tasty and good size portions. Each meal had a sauce included that was not typical as others, very different tasting and we were sure dill weed was a dominant ingredient which is one of our favorite seasonings. The soup was tantalizing on our tongues, creamy with a surprising taste that made it very unique.



On our way back to our rig, we stopped back at the restaurant and picked up Clam Chowder Bread Bowls to take home. The soup was spectacular, creamy, smooth and enough clams and potatoes, just like we like it. Nothing in the soup overpowered the taste, but all the flavorings just complimented one another.

An Extra Day Stop

We chose to take an extra day at The Mill Casino RV Park since we arrived a day earlier than scheduled and they offer a Seafood Buffet that we were looking forward to enjoying but is only served on Friday and Saturday nights. The seafood and the service was definitely worth waiting for, and with the $5 early bird discount, we paid under $20 each for a very fulfilling meal.


On Saturday morning, the sun was shining but was forecasting more rain, but we headed out anyway. After only about 50 miles of more rain and fog, we chose to get off the road and stay overnight boondocking at Three Rivers Casino & Hotel. They had a good area that was just for boondocking rigs, located a short walk from the casino so we parked it and went inside for more play. The casino had many fun slots and we played for a long time without spending our budgeted amount. When we were done, it was still pouring down rain, so we got security to give us a ride to our rig. It poured and the wind whipped us around all night long. The security guard made a comment about needing web feet to live in Oregon, something we do not have and definitely nothing we want to grow.


On Sunday morning again, the sun was shining, so we shoved off again towards our destination of Tillamook, Oregon. We drove over 100 miles in more fog and just a misty rain, things are improving…YEA! The good thing about it is that our next destination is an indoor activity so let it rain all it wants…and it did!


We took a free self-tour of the Tillamook Cheese Factory, but of course we had to purchase lots of cheese and ice cream. It was a pretty neat place to visit.



Spent the night at Tillamook Bay City RV Park located a few miles north of the factory.


Please check out our separate reviews on our blog of the factory, the casino and check out our park review not only on our blog but at RV Parking as well. And, as usual, be sure to check out our photos on our Picasa Web Albums.

Tillamook Cheese Factory

4175 Highway 101 North
Tillamook, OR 97141
503-815-1300


This was a free self-tour of the factory. If you can get out without spending any money on cheese or ice cream then it remains free, but if you are anything like us, then you pay for your tour with cheese and ice cream purchases. Plenty of parking for big rigs for no additional charge, they just do not allow overnight parking.


A very informative tour with an area where you are able to view their actual cheesemakers and packaging staff at work. Even though the area is in off season, the place was pretty packed, but it was a Sunday after all. We do recommend this as a place to stop and visit but it is not on our must see list.

Tillamook Bay City RV Park

7930 Alderbrook Road
Tillamook, OR 97141
503-377-2124


We never seen anyone associated with the park, since we self-registered and paid $25.64 for a FHU, including WiFi and Cable TV, using our Good Sam 10% discount since they were not honoring our CampClub USA 50% discount as it was listed.


It was a smaller park located right on Highway 101, not much traffic but it could be heard. The roads and sites were gravel but were level without any potholes. The restrooms and shower area were clean but were outdated.


Without any personal contact, this place did not stand out to us and if we are ever in the area again, we would look elsewhere for another park to stay, unless they were honoring one of our 50% clubs.

Three Rivers Casino & Hotel

5647 Oregon 126
Florence, OR 97439-9201
(541) 997-7529


The area where they allow boondocking is very inviting and security makes their rounds quite regularly. Picking a spot is not quite clear, there was no clear spaces, at least the night we were there because rigs were parked in every direction. Once you settle in, head to the security area in the casino to register. You just fill out a form with your vehicle information and the length of your stay. You are allowed to stay up to 7 nights and then must leave for at least 14 days before returning. They give you a tag to put on your windshield and then it’ was play time for us.


It poured so hard and the wind was ferocious all night long. We asked security to give us a ride to our rig since it was quite a walk in the pouring rain. They were very pleasant about accommodating our request. They had many new slot machines that we had not played before and they were fairly loose, no big wins but we played a long time on just a little bit of cash. They also have live Keno, a game we always like playing. We ate at their lunch buffet that cost us under $20 and they gave us $10 each in slot play. We had fun and if we are ever in the area again, we would stay here and recommend it to others too.

Our Coastal Drive Continues…

Making it up the coast with only a few minor changes. The plan was to stop at Trees of Mystery and Sky Trail which we did, be sure to read our separate blog on this adventure and check out the photos on our Picasa Web Albums…they are awesome.


We had planned to boondock at Lucky 7 Casino for the night but even though the area was nice enough we were a bit apprehensive. It being the off season and not another RV in sight, the casino being so small, and not being comfortable boondocking behind a convenience/liquor store, we decided to head all the way to North Bend, Oregon instead to hook up at The Mill Casino RV Park.


We crossed another state sign off our list and have added it to our map. It was my first time ever in Oregon and along the coast but Jerry had done it many times, he actually lived in the Portland area for about a year, many years ago while he was doing tile installation. For my first impression, unfortunately, the coastal drive was covered with thick patches of fog, so thick, we could hardly see beyond the highway. Every once in awhile, we would get a glimpse of the shoreline with some really nice huge boulders in the ocean but the fog took over so much, we did not see too much of the beauty. Hopefully, on the way back down it won’t be so foggy or rainy.


We had waited for so many years to do this drive, the first plan was going to be our honeymoon, which we never did. Then, once we began our travels we planned to do it several times, but something always came up. It’s nice to finally cross it off our list, but better weather would have been nicer, but it is what it is and we are just pleased to finally be doing it.


Pumping gas in Oregon was different. In the entire state, there is no self-service, all gas is pumped by an attendant, which made us pretty lazy and we noticed it saved us money. The reasoning behind that is that I never went inside any of the stores and seen anything we could not live without. The normal for us, is Jerry pumps while I go inside to pay and look around. No matter what, there seems to be something new or different for us to taste while in certain areas, so this all changed since I sat in the rig and showed them the money! Something they always asked for when we told them to fill it up. Another new experience to add to the millions of wonderful new and exciting things we are putting on our lists.


Be sure to check out all the great photos we took while on this latest adventure at our Picasa Web Albums.

Trees of Mystery and Sky Trail

15500 US Highway 101 N
16 miles S of Crescent City
Klamath, California 95548
800-638-3389
Tofm@treesofmystery.net


If you are ever in the area, please do not pass this place up. For a mere $14 per person, this self-guided tour will take your breath away.


They do offer senior and children rates. The walk they warn can be a climb, not so bad and we are not hikers or even walkers, so do not let that change your mind about visiting here.


Walking through these magnificent giants is awesome in itself and then to ride the Sky Trail up to higher sights is without a doubt a very spiritual experience.


To be higher then these giants, looking down on some spectacular views, pretty eerie with the fog coming in, but it is something we are so grateful that I did not allow my fears to stop me from enjoying.


Not sure if we would ever do it again, since we are the types that feel, been there…done that…no reason to go back but we highly recommend everyone to visit at least once, you will not regret it.

Be sure to check out ALL of our photos for this latest awesome adventure at our Picasa Web Albums.